Soul for a Soul
by unending
Summary: A soul for a soul, a life for a life and his is worth nothing, not when a hero like... like him, is with Thantos. All he had to to do was die and Annabeth would stop crying, Camp-Half Blood would have their hero, they could have their happily ever after, he just wouldn't be a part of it... but it was worth it for him... for Percy...


Nico's POV

Around him the demigod's cheered, beating breastplates, shaking weapons, slaying the fleeing monsters with gusto. He saw Apollo kids beginning their first rounds to the wounded, stepping through the ruckus to reach the many who had fallen.

I felt truly solid for the first time in weeks; my fingers gripped my stygian iron blade firmly, no longer threatening to turn to smoke. I stepped forward to join the now sobered champions; their heads bowed for their fallen friends as they helped the wounded and moved the dead.

With a gasp I stumbled, sinking to my knees. A screeching hum ripped through my head like claws on metal. Through half closed eyes I say that no one else had fallen, no one noticed Nico clutching his head like he might pull his hair out.

"No." my heart sank, the joyous feeling from a moment ago forgotten as I pushed himself off the ground. I searched the crowd, where was he? He saw Hazel helping a Hecate kid to a makeshift infirmary, Jason staggering, an arm looped around a limp body, an injured but triumphant Reyna, leaning heavily against Guido but no matter where he looked he couldn't find the familiar tall build, and mop of black hair.

Nico turned quickly, scanning the ground. Where would he be? He had to be wrong… he_ had_ to be. He knew he wasn't on the battle field, the trees were unlikely but the river… Nico sped forward, forgetting his sword on the trampled ground with the rest of his friends.

The river bank was moist, the tall stocks of cat tail and grass had been flattened into the mud, a trail beaten into the soft ground. Nico's brow furrowed, there was only one set of foot prints leading around the bend in the river. With caution he followed as fast as he could.

Nico froze as he rounded the bend, taking in the sight before him. The trees, which had previously grown close to the river, were now lying splintered around the perimeter of a several hundred foot blast area. The ground was charred black, nearly half of the mountain had been decimated in the explosion, what I had previously thought was smoke now revealed itself as steam, billowing from the damaged earth in thick clouds. In the center of the wring lay a figure. From here the body looked peaceful, easily mistaken for someone simply gazing at the sky had it not been for the surrounding seen.

I stepped forward, my brain not quite able to process what I was seeing. The ground around the body was stained a dark, metallic, charcoal; the mark spreading slowly, mixing with the earth. The sights made me want to curl up on the ground and never come out but I knelt by his side anyways. It was too late, I had felt his soul leave his body in the field but I didn't care. I reached out and recoiled just as fast, what the? Hesitantly, I brushed my fingers against his skin again and could barely contain a yelp; it was like touching a stove top, his skin was searing to the touch, beyond any fever.

I could feel myself fading again, my previously solid form wavering as I shouldered Percy, biting my lip as his skin blistered me through our combined layers of clothing. He was heavy, his feat dragging along the ground as I did my best to reach the river. The rocks beneath my feat had been melted into glass and the river had half evaporated leaving only a couple of feet left in the basin.

With a splash and a hiss Percy sunk beneath the surface before rising back to the top. The heat of his body made the river steam, slowly cooling his skin until he was bearable to touch without injury. "Poseidon… and dad. Please. I know you can do it. I'll do anything…" I bowed my head holding his floating body against the current "Please." I chocked. I tried to bite them back but the tears fell _'some deaths cannot be prevented'_ my father's words rang in my ears

"You asshole, don't even-" words failed me for a moment as I swore his arm twitched but my hope only lasted a second before anger rose in its place. I stood, even out of my element the earth trembled and split in my anger "Father!" I yelled "This is the least that you owe me! This-" I pointed at his form "should never have happened! I should have died, not him!" I stood, panting for what seemed like forever but when no answer came my anger drained as suddenly as it arrived and I fell back into the water with a sickening splash.

"Your girlfriend, Annabeth…" no response "she's waiting for you to come back…" any blind hope I had was gone… he was _gone._

Nico looked down into Percy's blank, sea green- for a moment Nico was sure he was seeing things but as he looked on there was no room for mistake; Percy's previously green eyes were now completely black, from the pupil outwards there was no retina, only inky darkness. Something was wrong…


End file.
